Andy Farrell insists that the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday will
hold no fear for England even though there is a Grand Slam and championship
at stake.

The former Great Britain rugby league captain knows all about true hostility after experiencing a Test match at the Lae Oval in Papua New Guinea in the mid-1990s.

“We were chased around the field with sticks,” Farrell recalled on Tuesday as England had their first session of the week, still harbouring doubts over injured lock Joe Launchbury. “We had to try to jump on a minibus to get away at the end. The minibus was backed up to the gates, the gates opened and we all had to pile on this minibus.

"All of a sudden, everyone was hitting the minibus and we were saying, ‘Go, go, go’. We left a reporter, Dave Hadfield, behind. He feared for his life! As for the Millennium, 11 of our lads have never played there. It’s a deafening noise and we have to make sure we’re ready for that.”

If evidence were needed to illustrate that England are not fazed by what awaits them in Cardiff then a look at the relative home and away records will do it for them. England have not lost a Six Nations game on the road in the Stuart Lancaster tenure dating back to February 2012. For all its supposed mythical, uplifting qualities, Wales have not won at the Millennium Stadium (excepting against the Barbarians) since they clinched the Grand Slam against France last March.

“Self-belief has taken over from fear in our squad and each time we are confronted with situations, we keep getting better and stronger,” said Farrell. “When we have had a challenge thrown at us we have responded. We know that we’re hard to beat, that we can go to these places and win.

"It’s true that Wales have been there and done that. You would expect trophies to go with experience but somebody else’s experience has to start somewhere and we have to be challenging to win our first trophy. We back our culture to try and get our first experience of silverware. It is the ultimate test to go there and win. But it is where we want to be. ”

Farrell has no doubts that England, despite their faltering performance against Italy, have all that it takes to contend with the defending Grand Slam champions as well as a raucous crowd housed under what is likely to be a closed roof. The England management have already taken steps to remind the squad of their reaction to high-profile, pressurised occasions by showcasing their victory against the All Blacks in December.

“It comes back to knowing what it takes to make it happen,” said Farrell. “There is definitely a feel of that New Zealand week already. I already feel we’re in a good place knowing what is needed.”

Farrell does not make any great claims for himself yet as an international coach as he is still a fledgling operator at this level, only 15 months into the job. He refuses to see Saturday’s clash as a head-to-head with his former Wigan team-mate, Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards. Farrell has edged out Edwards for the job of Lions assistant coach. Yet there is a close bond between the men.

“We’re both Wiganers and we both get back there as much as we possibly can, banging into one another at events,” said Farrell. “I asked him for advice as a kid. He was one of the leaders in the great Wigan side who took me under his wing as a 16-year-old. Shaun used to put me in his car and took me to see his agent. He used to say: ‘I’ll look after you if you promise me you’ll be my captain when I’m a coach.’ He would have been 24 or 25 at that time and already knew he wanted to be a coach. He saw me as a young kid who he wanted a relationship with. I suppose that’s how it is when you’re from a small town.”

England will make a final ruling on Launchbury’s hyperextended elbow ahead of tomorrow’s team announcement.